1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hydrogenated copolymer-containing laminate. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a hydrogenated copolymer-containing laminate comprising: a substrate layer comprising a fibrous material, an adhesive layer, and a hydrogenated copolymer composition layer which is laminated on and bonded to the substrate layer through the adhesive layer, the hydrogenated copolymer composition layer comprising a specific amount of a hydrogenated copolymer (I), and a specific amount of a rubbery polymer (II) exclusive of the hydrogenated copolymer (I), wherein the hydrogenated copolymer (I) is obtained by hydrogenating a copolymer comprising conjugated diene monomer units and vinyl aromatic monomer units, a part of the vinyl aromatic monomer units optionally forming at least one vinyl aromatic polymer block, the hydrogenated copolymer (I) having specific characteristics with respect to a vinyl aromatic monomer unit content, a content of the vinyl aromatic polymer block, a weight average molecular weight, and a hydrogenation ratio. The hydrogenated copolymer-containing laminate of the present invention has various excellent properties which are equivalent to or higher than those of a vinyl chloride resin sheet. Specifically, the hydrogenated copolymer-containing laminate of the present invention has excellent properties with respect to flexibility, calendar-moldability, soft feeling at low temperatures (i.e., low temperature property), anti-blocking property (i.e., resistance to adhesion phenomena (which is generally referred to as “blocking”) wherein when, for example, stacked resin shaped articles or a rolled resin film (which have or has resin surfaces which are in contact with each other) are or is stored for a long time, unfavorably strong adhesion occurs between the resin surfaces, so that it becomes difficult to separate the resin surfaces from each other), heat resistance, abrasion resistance, scratch resistance, impact resilience and the like. Therefore, the hydrogenated copolymer-containing laminate of the present invention can be advantageously used as a substitute for a vinyl chloride resin sheet. For example, the hydrogenated copolymer-containing laminate of the present invention can be advantageously used as artificial leathers (especially, skins for furniture, materials for interior of automobiles, shoe uppers, materials for bags, and skins for building materials).
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, a vinyl chloride resin has been widely used in the various fields, such as a material for embossed sheets and artificial leathers (especially, skins for furniture, materials for interior of automobiles, shoe uppers, materials for bags). The hardness and dynamic properties (such as tensile strength at break) of a vinyl chloride resin can be adjusted over a wide range by adjusting the amount of plasticizer, filler or the like, and it is possible to produce a vinyl chloride resin having excellent flexibility, abrasion resistance and scratch resistance. However, from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the materials used in the above-mentioned fields and the recent concern for a load placed on the environment when the materials are burned or decomposed, there has been an increasing demand for a substitute for a vinyl chloride resin. As examples of candidates for substitutes for a vinyl chloride resin, there can be mentioned olefin resins, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene-acrylic ester copolymers, and styrene block copolymers.
Among these, olefin resins (such as an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer) have a problem in that the olefin resins are nonpolar due to their molecular structures, so that it is difficult to print on or coat the surface of a shaped article produced from any of the olefin resins. Further, when a filler is added to the olefin resins, the olefin resins pose problems in that the upper limit of the amount of a filler which can be added to the olefin resins is low, and in that the filler cannot be satisfactorily dispersed in the olefin resins.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 2002-96426 discloses a laminate formed of a thermoplastic resin composition. Specifically, this patent document proposes a laminate comprising a layer formed of a composition comprising a hydrogenated styrene block copolymer and polypropylene, wherein the hydrogenated styrene block copolymer is a hydrogenation product of a styrene block copolymer comprising a polymer block comprising vinyl aromatic monomers, and a polymer block comprising isoprene and/or butadiene, and having a vinyl bond content (total content of a 3,4-vinyl bond and 1,2-vinyl bond) of 40 mol % or more. The above-mentioned layer of the laminate proposed in this patent document has an excellent balance of properties, such as flexibility, scratch resistance, abrasion resistance, moldability and appearance, but is not satisfactory in that the layer has a hard feeling at low temperatures as compared to the case where a vinyl chloride resin is used, and in that the calendar-moldability and abrasion resistance of the layer are unsatisfactory.
As apparent from the above, the conventional candidates for substitute for a vinyl chloride resins have many problems, and a satisfactory substitute has not yet been developed.